


Search and Rescue

by Brumeier



Series: Life in the Yukon [7]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1, The Sentinel (TV), due South
Genre: Airplane Crashes, Alternate Universe - Small Town, Cuddling & Snuggling, First Kiss, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, More Joy Day Fest, Pets, Rescue Missions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-17
Updated: 2019-01-17
Packaged: 2019-10-11 13:03:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17447483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brumeier/pseuds/Brumeier
Summary: Rodney's (maybe) first date with John doesn't go at all as planned, which is just indicative of the changes he hasn't even realized have been happening since he was sent to Lantea, Alaska.





	Search and Rescue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [niffer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/niffer/gifts).



> Happy More Joy Day, Niffer!
> 
> Also written for the story_works Change Challenge

Rodney was disappointed. And annoyed. 

He’d had plans with Sheppard, plans that might be construed as a date. Why else would Sheppard invite him over for dinner at his house? Rodney had been fretting about it all day at the observatory, wondering if he was reading too much into it. Maybe it was an apology dinner because it had taken Sheppard so long to make necessary repairs on the shack he was renting out to Rodney.

Rodney had showered and spent a ridiculous amount of time picking out something to wear. Even if it wasn’t really a date, there was a chance it could turn into one if he played his cards right. And now he was sitting in his truck in front of Sheppard’s place, which didn’t have a single light burning in any of the windows. And the driveway was empty.

That asshole had blown him off.

Well, it wouldn’t be the first time someone had tried to get out of a date with Rodney. He’d thought John was different, though. Maybe it was part of some town-wide prank. He was well aware of the pool going on, people betting on how long he’d last in Lantea before he cracked. Well, fuck them.

Rodney got out of the truck, slamming the door so hard the whole thing rocked. He stomped up to John’s front door and banged on it.

“Sheppard! Are you in there? If you are, you’re being stupidly childish!”

The only response was the whimpering of the creature that Sheppard called a dog. That gave Rodney pause. Why hadn’t Mongo barked? Was he injured in some way? Rodney had no idea how Sheppard felt about him, but he knew the man loved that ugly dog.

“Hello?” Rodney called. 

There was the sound of scratching on the door, and more of that pathetic canine whimpering. Rodney didn’t care much for dogs, but he couldn’t leave one in distress. He tried the doorknob and of course it was open. No-one in town locked their doors.

“Back up, stupid,” Rodney grumbled when he couldn’t get the door open more than an inch because the dog was on the other side.

Mongo complied and when Rodney got the door all the way open he saw the dog had his food bowl clamped between his terrifyingly large jaws. It was clear what the problem was: Sheppard had fucked off somewhere and forgotten to feed his dog.

With a put-upon sigh, Rodney let himself into Sheppard’s house, flipping on lights as he went. There was a big plastic bin in the kitchen full of dog food, so he scooped some out and then had to wrestle the bowl away from Mongo so he could fill it. And since he was already inside, there was no reason Rodney couldn’t look around. Just a little.

Sheppard didn’t have much. Basic pieces of furniture, all of them simple but sturdy. The only things hanging on the walls were an oversized map of Alaska in the living room and a poster of Johnny Cash in the bedroom (which was a little weird). Some pictures were scattered around on shelves and pinned to the fridge, but they were all of Sheppard with people from Lantea.

Rodney’s stomach grumbled, a reminder of the dinner he wasn’t getting. He went back to the kitchen and turned all the lights back off, stumbling over the stupid dog all along the way.

“Do you mind?” he snapped, but Mongo just looked up at him with his tongue lolling out. Why did dogs always look mentally unbalanced?

When he got to the front door, Rodney tried to slide out without letting the dog out but failed miserably. Mongo just shouldered him out of the way and went outside, immediately lifting his leg on the tree out front. It seemed impossible for one animal to urinate that long, but clearly the dog had been holding it for a while. Shame. Rodney would’ve loved Sheppard to come home to dog piss all over his furniture.

“Okay,” Rodney said when Mongo was finished. “Back inside.”

Instead, Mongo jumped up in the back of Rodney’s truck and sat down.

“Fuck it.” Rodney wasn’t about to try and wrestle the creature back into the house. If it wanted to go for a ride, so what? He was only going up the street to the Café to get some food. He didn’t even care that Mongo walked through the door with him when he got there. 

“Hey there, Dr. McKay,” Jon said. “I thought you and Sheppard were having dinner at his place?”

Small towns were a nightmare.

“I thought so, too. He bailed.” Rodney studied the menu board and tried to ignore the fact that the dog was drooling on his boots. “Does the stir fry have citrus in it?”

“What do you mean, he bailed?” Jon’s brows drew together. “That doesn’t sound like him at all.”

“Yes, well, tell that to his mangy dog, who was starving to death when I got there.” Of course they’d take Sheppard’s side. They were all friends. “About the stir fry.”

But Jon was ignoring him and walking into the kitchen. He reappeared seconds later with Evan and the one-armed cook, and Rodney was a little nervous. Were they mad at him for going into Sheppard’s house?

“Have you heard from him at all today?” Evan asked, wiping his hands on his apron.

“Well, no. We made the da…dinner plans yesterday.”

“He was doing a run today,” One-arm said. “Has anyone seen him?”

“Hey!” Jon shouted out to the Café at large. “Has anyone seen John Sheppard today?”

That was met with a chorus of negatives, and Rodney started to feel nervous for a different reason. Did they know something he didn’t?

“Get Caldwell on the radio,” Jon said tersely. 

Rodney trailed after the other three men through a door that led to the back of the Café, and an office with a CB radio.

“Caldwell, this is Lorne. Do you copy?”

_Caldwell. What’s up?_

“Did Sheppard come back from his run today?”

_How the hell would I know?_

Jon took the radio from Evan. “Steven. I know you monitor his frequency. It’s important.”

_Fine. Laura! Check the recordings for today!_

“We don’t have an airport, much less a tower,” Evan explained, even though Rodney hadn’t voiced his question aloud. “Since Sheppard does a lot of work for Steven, he’s supposed to monitor transmissions from the plane in case there’s a problem.”

_Jon. It’s Laura. Sheppard broadcast an SOS about four hours ago. He left coordinates._

Okay, that was bad and Rodney didn’t need anyone to explain it to him. Sheppard’s plane had gone down. What if he was dead? What if Rodney had trespassed in a dead man’s house?

_Oh, God. What if Sheppard is dead?_

“Got it. Rendezvous at the Café. Jon out. Evan, get the map.”

Apparently everyone but Rodney had a giant map of Alaska just hanging around, because Evan left the office and then came right back with one, all rolled up. One-arm helped clear off the desk so they could open it up. Jon pulled a ruler and pencil out of the desk. 

“I can plot his last-known coordinates, which will give us a search radius that should be fairly accurate.”

“How do you know how to do that? I mean…you’re a waiter,” Rodney couldn’t help asking.

“I used to be a pilot in another life,” Jon said distractedly. 

Evan looked at him in surprise. “You did?”

“Later. Right now we need to find Sheppard.” Jon used a piece of string tied to the pencil as a kind of compass, drawing a circle that seemed impossibly big to Rodney. “Here’s our search area. JB, go find Blair. We need him to broadcast this information and maybe someone who lives in the vicinity will hear it. Evan, call Clint. Have him coordinate with Mitchell and put those fancy ATVs of his to good use.”

JB zipped off without comment, but Evan hung back. “Jon?”

“We can talk later. Right now I need the truck and the rifle.”

“Where are you going?”

“To find Ronon. He’s the best hunter we know.”

Rodney didn’t understand any of the byplay, why there was so much tension in the air or why Evan looked so shocked, but he turned away when the kissing started. That was none of his business. He was feeling a whole lot useless, with everyone else assigned jobs to do. And he couldn’t stop thinking of Sheppard alone out there in the cold and the dark, possibly injured and definitely alone. There were bears and wolves and who knew what other kind of predators out there that would be happy to take advantage of an injured man. 

He wandered back out to the dining room and saw that it was already filling up with people offering to help, people who seemed legitimately concerned about Sheppard and not just nosy lookie-loos. Maybe small towns had something going for them after all.

Mongo leaned against Rodney’s leg and he reached down to scratch his head without really thinking about it. He had to do something. He had to help. Going out and tromping through the Alaskan wilderness in the dark was clearly not going to be the way, though. He’d end up needing rescued himself.

The dog whuffed and Rodney snapped his fingers. “That’s it!” He pulled out his phone and the business card he’d stuffed into his wallet and promptly forgot about.

_You got Fraser’s phone, this is Ray._

“Detective, this is Dr. Rodney McKay from Lantea. Are you still in Alaska?”

*o*o*o*

_We’re going on hour three of the search, friends, and still no word on John Sheppard. Sector four, which you’ll remember is the area west of Peace Ridge up to the edge of the river, has been cleared. Our thanks to Clint, Mitchell, and Vala for heading out that way. There’ll be hot food and hot cocoa waiting for you at the Café, courtesy of Evan Lorne and K-LAN. Until the next check-in, here’s some more music to keep John warm:_ Summer in the City _by The Lovin’ Spoonful._

*o*o*o*

Pegasus Café became the hub of the search and rescue attempt. JB stayed on the CB radio, keeping in touch with the various teams and relaying the information to Rodney, who updated the big map appropriately. The map had been moved to the dining room so everyone could keep an eye on the action, as it were.

Evan set up an impromptu buffet on the bar, so he was in and out of the kitchen. Rodney didn’t know what was going on between him and Jon, but he seemed overly agitated. Maybe he was mad that Jon left him behind?

Jon and the hunter he’d gone to find were still out searching, and Sheriff Qinnauyauk had called on a couple friends of his who were trackers to cover some ground as well. Caldwell had called in some favors and was promised air support from Elmendorf Air Force Base once it was light enough. Even the people from the Fresh Start youth camp had agreed to help look for Sheppard. It made Rodney hopeful that Sheppard would be found, and maybe even in one piece. Any other outcome would be patently unfair.

“Gonna snow.” Jissika, Dr. Beckett’s nurse, said matter-of-factly as she studied the map. “Temperature’s really dropping.”

“How long can he last out there?” Rodney already knew the dangers. Hypothermia. Frostbite. Death served up a hundred different ways.

“Depends. He stays out there in the cold too long, hypothermia is the least of his problems.”

“John knows how to protect himself,” Evan said. He handed Rodney a plate with a panini on it. “I know he keeps safety gear in the plane.”

Which was all well and good, unless Sheppard was unconscious and couldn’t make use of the safety gear. Rodney wondered how many people walked away from small craft crashes. What if he hit the side of a mountain? Or crashed into a lake? Or –

“McKay!” JB shouted from the office. 

Rodney dropped the panini plate on the table and promptly stumbled over the damn dog, who’d been underfoot all night. Mongo trotted after him despite the curses Rodney threw at him. So did Evan.

“What? What is it?”

“Steve, repeat the message,” JB said into the radio.

 _We found the plane_. Rodney presumed Steve was the guy from the Fresh Start camp. _Damaged, but not irreparable. No sign of Sheppard._

“What does that mean? Did he jump out? Fall out? What?”

Sheppard seemed like the kind of guy that would go parachuting just for the fun of it. Surely he kept one in his plane for emergencies. The wind could have carried him far from the search area. What if he was stuck in a tree?

_The Mountie says he walked out of here._

Rodney snatched the radio out of JB’s hand. “Put the Mountie on!”

_Dr. McKay? This is Detective Kowalski. Fraser can’t talk right now. He’s licking some rocks._

“The fuck?” JB asked. He and Rodney shared an incredulous look.

“He’s licking rocks?”

_It’s a thing he does. You get used to it. He says your guy is injured but mobile. Just trying to get a direction._

_I already have a direction_ , Steve said in the background. _We’re wasting time_.

Injured but mobile. Mobile was a good thing. Unless Sheppard was concussed and walked off a cliff or something. Why the hell couldn’t Rodney stop thinking of horrible death scenarios?

 _We’re on the move_ , Kowalski reported. _I’ll let you know when we find him. 10-4._

_Ray, the proper way to sign off is –_

The CB went silent.

“Licking rocks,” JB said. “Jesus.”

“You heard what he said,” Rodney replied defensively. “They’re on Sheppard’s trail.”

“And they’ll find him.” Evan pried the radio out of Rodney’s hand and guided him back out to the dining room. “I’ll mark it on the map. You eat. All you’ve had all night is coffee.”

“I’m not hungry,” Rodney said. But when Mongo made a play for his panini, he snatched it up and ate the whole thing in record time.

*o*o*o*

The Café erupted into cheers when Sheppard and his rescue party came through the door. Rodney, who’d fallen asleep with his head on the map, woke with a jerk, wincing at the noise. And then he saw Sheppard, bruised and a little bloody, but still on his own two feet. He was wrapped in a blanket and supported on either side by Kowalski and some guy Rodney didn’t know.

“You look terrible,” Rodney said when the cheering died down.

Sheppard huffed out something that might’ve been a laugh if he wasn’t clearly so exhausted. “Sorry about dinner.”

“Yes, well, I’ve never had someone go to such lengths to avoid eating with me.”

That elicited some laughs from the gathered crowd, but Rodney didn’t pay them any attention. He was moving across the room before he even realized it, until he was right up in Sheppard’s personal space.

“Luckily for you, I can’t take a hint,” he said. He kissed Sheppard, who tasted of sweat and blood, taking care not to touch him on any of his obviously injured areas. His lips were chapped and cold, but Rodney didn’t care. Sheppard kissed him back readily, though when he sagged against Rodney his honor guard intervened.

“Maybe save that for later,” Kowalski said with a grin.

Rodney endured some wolf-whistles, face flaming red, but he let Sheppard be directed to sit in a booth so Dr. Beckett could look him over. 

“Let’s just see what you’ve done to yourself, then,” the doctor – and occasional veterinarian – said.

Sheppard visibly brightened when Mongo dropped his big head on Sheppard’s knee. “Hey, buddy. How’d you get here?”

“Dr. McKay’s been looking after him,” Evan said. “Here. I’ve got some hot soup for you.”

Sheppard shot Rodney a grateful look, one hand on Mongo’s head. Rodney shrugged self-consciously. It wasn’t like he’d had any choice; the stupid dog had insisted on following him.

While Beckett treated Sheppard’s injuries, everyone in the Café stopped by to say a few words and welcome him back. Rodney wanted to snap at them to give the man some space, but he understood how they felt. Surviving the plane crash was nothing short of miraculous, and Sheppard’s friends wanted to make sure he knew how grateful they were that he was still with them. Rodney was grateful, too, and for once he wasn’t afraid to say so.

“Thanks,” he said, shaking Fraser’s hand. 

“I was happy to lend my assistance,” the Mountie replied. “I believe we’re square now.”

“Where is that donut-stealing wolf of yours, anyway?” Rodney asked, but then he saw Diefenbaker helping himself to the remains of the buffet. “Never mind.”

“Hey, Dief!” Kowalski called, heading toward the bar. “Save some for me!”

The mood inside the Café had lightened considerably. People were still hanging around, talking and joking and ordering drinks from Laura, who’d taken over the bar. Jon, Evan, and a big guy with shaggy dreadlocks were having what looked like an incredibly awkward conversation. Mongo, Diefenbaker, and Clint’s one-eyed dog were getting acquainted. JB was arm-wrestling with the guy Rodney assumed was Steve McGarrett and holding his own.

Rodney watched them all, kind of surprised how many of Lantea’s residents he knew by name, or at least by face. They greeted him in the street, in the store, in the Café. They’d helped him when he hit Diefenbaker with his truck. They knew him. Some of them even seemed to like him.

He looked over at Sheppard, who seemed to be dozing but then lifted his head and opened his eyes. He grinned at Rodney, looking goofier than he’d ever looked before.

“Oh, no,” Rodney said.

“Something wrong, Dr. McKay?” Aiden asked. Rodney hadn’t seen him come in with the last search party.

“Everything,” Rodney replied. He dropped down into the nearest chair. “I think I’m starting to like it here.”

*o*o*o*

“This is better than dinner,” Sheppard murmured sleepily.

“Talk to me again when the painkillers wear off,” Rodney replied. “Just for the record, I don’t usually sleep with a guy before the first date.”

“I’m special.”

Rodney couldn’t argue with that. Actually, all they were doing was sleeping. Dr. Beckett hadn’t wanted Sheppard to be alone and Rodney had volunteered to stay with him. It hadn’t been his idea to crawl into bed together, but he certainly wasn’t going to complain about it. Sheppard was warm and solid, if more than a little battered and bruised from his ordeal.

It was strange, the changes that had snuck up on Rodney since he’d come to Alaska. He’d grown used to the quirky town of Lantea and its equally quirky residents. He’d fallen for his stupidly attractive daredevil landlord. He had a Mountie on speed dial. There was no way to predict what bizarre thing was going to happen to him next. 

The strangest thing was that he didn’t mind the strangeness of it at all. Clearly he needed his head examined.

“Guess I’m grounded for a while,” Sheppard said. He had his head pillowed on Rodney’s shoulder, one arm – the one with the wrist in a splint – around Rodney’s waist. “You play chess? Gonna need help passing the time.”

Rodney could think of better ways to fill the hours, but that would have to be put on hold until Sheppard was feeling better.

“I play to win,” he cautioned.

Sheppard’s grip momentarily tightened. “So do I.”

“It’s a date,” Rodney said. “Now shut up and go to sleep.”

“Sweet talker.” Sheppard tipped his head back and pressed a kiss to Rodney’s jaw. Moments later his breathing evened out and his whole body went lax with sleep.

Rodney stayed awake a while longer.

**Author's Note:**

>  **AN:** I’d been toying with some ideas for getting these boys together in this ‘verse, but it was all speculation until Day 6 of the Snowflake Challenge. That was the day we were encouraged to make a wish list of things we’d like. Niffer wanted someone to write them McShep and I wanted to be that someone, because Niffer always leaves me such great comments on my fic. What better day to make that happen than on More Joy Day?
> 
> I hope you like this, Niffer! Thank you for being such a great supporter!


End file.
